More members
by JustFangirlingAround
Summary: This is my second story here, and it takes place immediately after my first story 'everything has to start somewhere' so you should read that one first. This is the second part of the Avengers being a family, parents, friends, heroes… I'm not that good at summeries, so sorry, but you really should give it all a chance ;) T for language, i guess... i don't get it with the rating
1. Chapter 1

It was Christmas. They were all slowly settling in, living with a little baby. Clint stopped eventually to 'sleep' in the nursery, Natasha already started to bring her body back in form slowly, and everybody else just spoiled this little redhead.

So now, Tony forced them all to sit around on the floor in the main room; Thor and Jane came as well. Surprisingly Stark bought them all a present. Pepper got a nice necklace, Bruce some science stuff, Steve and Thor got both a cell phone, with the words "Come on, don't look at me like that, you both need to get used to this world". Clint got a set of new arrowheads, Natasha got a knife, and Tony even earned a smile from her, Jane got some stuff for her research and her own code for the Tower, Tony still urged her to move in, and Alex got a plush owl that was almost as tall as she was.

Though only Clint and Natasha, Thor and Jane and Pepper and Tony had a little present for their partner and no one else, it was a nice day.

Jane was really thrilled by Alex, she held her for a long time, all the time she smiled down at her and spoke to her. Thor looked at the little girl with curious though cautious eyes.

"You can hold her, if you want" Natasha chuckled from where she sat with her head on Clint's shoulder. Thor looked up at her with wide eyes, shaking his head franticly.

"No, I do not want to hurt her"

They all chuckled a little, but let it drop. They wouldn't push him, if he really didn't want to.

They spent the whole day up in the living room, watching tv, talking or just looking out on the white city… and, like always, arguing about stupid stuff.

IXXI

New year was the hell. Clint insisted that Natasha went to get some sleep, because she barely slept the last nights. So he said he'd take care of Alex. For now she was asleep and the Tower was quiet, because the guys all went out, except of them and Bruce. Tony was hard trying to convince him to come with them, but he said he didn't want to be in a bar or something, risking to hulk out, so he stayed at the Tower and went in his lap.

So, while Natasha was finally sleeping, Clint sat on the window sill in the nursery, looking out on the city, watching it prepare for the new year. He sighed when his watch read eleven fifty-nine. Just one more minute and this year was over. He thought about the whole shit this year started with, and with what a wonderful thing it ended. He still struggled with the whole Loki incident, with Phil's death and with the pictures of his dead colleagues that died because of him. But right now, he was happy. He's got everything he ever asked for. Natasha was with him, he had good friends here in the Tower, that didn't even blame him for what he did, and … he's got a daughter. Never, never in his whole life he thought this was going to happen to him. He did so much wrong in the past, he did terrible things, he did nothing to deserve that. But who was he to question all his luck?

He was pulled out of his thoughts though, when the fireworks started. He sighed and looked down into the crib. Alex was awake already, she looked around confused before she started to cry loudly.

Clint hopped down the window sill and picked her up, trying to sooth her. He walked around the room a little, but it didn't work, so he wrapped her into a blanket and walked over to the elevator, not wanting Natasha to wake up.

He stood in the elevator now, slowly rocking her, trying to calm her down. It worked, she was quieter now, well, until he stepped out of the elevator again. She cried louder when she heard the next pang outside and Clint walked back into the elevator again.

They went to the gym – bad. They went to, how Tony called it, the 'team bonding floor' (huge flat screen, minibar, couches) – worse. Clint went in almost every room, until he finally had enough and told Jarvis to stop the elevator. They stopped between Steve's and Bruce's apartment, and Clint sat down in the corner of the elevator, humming some slow melody.

Inside the little room, they could barely hear the noise from outside, so Alex finally calmed down completely, though she was still awake and looked up at him with bright blue eyes.

"Hey, little bird" he whispered softly, brushing his finger over her cheek. "You know, you've got the best mom in the world. I don't think she'll believe it herself, but you and I both know it's true. She'll do anything for you. But she's really tired, so I have to take care of you tonight. I hope you don't mind" he said, moving his little finger over her tiny fist and she grabbed it in her chubby hand.

Clint chuckled quietly and smiled as she yawned. Her eyelids fluttered and soon she was sleeping again, snuggling close to her daddy's chest.

"I love you, Alex" he whispered barely audible.  
He stayed in the elevator, glad she slept at least.

It was around two o'clock, when the elevator moved again. Clint groaned quietly, expecting her to wake up any moment. He stayed sitting in the corner as long as she was still asleep.

The doors slid open to reveal a tired looking Bruce with a cup of coffee in his hand. He just wanted to step into the elevator, when he noticed Clint sitting in the corner with Alex in his arms.

"Uhm…" he muttered, stopping in his tracks.

Clint stood up, carefully not to startle her.

"I've been running around the whole Tower to find a quiet place so she could sleep again. Seems like the elevator is the only quiet place here" he said quietly and Bruce nodded, stepping into the elevator completely and pushing the button to his apartment.

"You two are doing great" he said softly, sipping his coffee.

"Yeah, well she's still alive, so I think we're not doing that bad" Clint agreed with a quiet chuckle. Bruce gave him a tired smile and ran his hand through his hair while yawning.

"See you tomorrow" he yawned when they arrived on his floor, waving a goodbye to them before the doors closed again.

Clint hummed again until they arrived at their floor. He stepped out and was thankful that he heard almost nothing anymore from the city outside. He carried Alex back into her nursery where he gently laid her down in her crib. He made sure she was still asleep, before leaving the room. On his way back to his and Natasha's bedroom, he told Jarvis to inform them again, when she woke up.

He quietly crept under the blanket and laid his arm around Natasha's waist.

"Where've you been?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Like I said. Making sure you can sleep" he said quietly with a smile on his face, placing a kiss on top of her head. "Happy new year, Tash" he whispered before she fell asleep again.

IXXI

Alex was three months old now, and spoiled to no end… mostly from Tony. Really. Almost every day he brought her something. A toy, a stuffed animal, a blanket, clothes. It was nearly impossible for anyone to stop him.

And Alex was really fascinated by him. Every time he ran around near her without a shirt again, she stared intently on his glowing arc-reactor. And every time he clapped his hands together, saying he's got one of his brilliant ideas again, she clapped with him and started to laugh loudly, causing everybody around her to laugh as well and Tony to forget his brilliant idea again.

Bruce was perfect for reading to her, looking around in a picture book or something. He'd sit with her on one of the couches, when Clint and Natasha needed a little break, and would read to her, always changing his voice so that she had to laugh every time he'd use that voice.

Pepper, as well as Jane when she was here, would notice how tired Natasha and Clint were and just take her from them, telling them to get some sleep. When they did, she would just walk around with Alex a little, talking to her and showing her everything in the Tower.

Thor still wouldn't hold her, though every time she saw him, Alex would laugh loud and happily, clapping in her hands and babbling a little.

Steve was perfect to just lie and sleep on. Sometimes he would be lying on a couch with Alex sleeping on his chest. Every time that happened, he would look at her with wide eyes and the rest of the team would just laugh quietly.

Natasha loved her little girl, more than anything. She'd always be a little reluctant to hand her to someone else than Clint, she just didn't want to let go of her. She'd often read something Russian to her, or play with her with a little stuffed bird Tony got her. And sometimes she'd just sit in the rocking chair with her, looking out on the city while talking Russian to her.

Clint was even more reluctant to give her to someone else, but… he trusted them all enough, so, when he really needed a little break, he was okay with someone else playing with her or something, seeing how happy she was when one of them did something funny.

But she was still his little bird, and he was really the only one that could get her to fall asleep within a few minutes. He'd sit on the window sill with her, turning her, so she could see all the lights outside, and he'd start to sing to her. Sometimes a lullaby, sometimes just a slow song. And she was out like a light. He'd hold her a little while longer though, making sure she really slept and... he just never wanted to lay her down, because that meant he couldn't hold her. But eventually Natasha would force him to lay her down and get some sleep himself.

Around march, Clint and Natasha were called from agent Hill to appear at H.Q. to talk with Fury about everything.

"When do you have to be there?" Pepper asked softly over the breakfast table. Her, Tony, Natasha, Alex and Clint were the only ones in the kitchen. Steve was downstairs in the gym, after he told them he wasn't hungry, and Bruce was sleeping because he came out of his lap about three hours ago.

"Twelve" Natasha muttered, not looking up from where she was 'helping' Alex hold her bottle.

"Are you taking her with you?" Tony asked while munching his cornflakes.

"At least I'm not happy to do so" Clint said, then stood up to pour himself another cup of coffee.

"Then let her here, we gonna keep an eye on her" Stark said with a shrug.

"Yeah, I'd stayed at the Tower anyways, we could watch her while you're at S.H.I.E.L.D. And Bruce and Steve are here as well, nothing would happen" Pepper said with a smile. Tony nodded in agreement, still occupied with eating.

Clint leant against the counter, sipping his already third cup of coffee this morning, glancing at Natasha for an answer. He wasn't excited to leave Alex alone with the team, but the last thing he wanted to do at the moment was to bring her to S.H.I.E.L.D. already now. So he was… okay with leaving her with them… as long Pepper was in the same room like her all the time.

But if Natasha didn't want to, he'd bring her to base, even though he knew she wouldn't want this either.

Natasha looked up from Alex and looked him in the eyes for a moment, before nodding.

"Yeah I guess that's better than bring her to S.H.I.E.L.D. and into a meeting with our boss" she said with a little smirk.

"I thought so" Pepper answered with a smile. "Don't worry, I won't let any of the guys be in a room alone with her" she said with a little laugh, causing Natasha and Clint to chuckle as well and Tony to play upset.

They talked a little while, finishing their food, then they all left for a while, until Clint and Natasha had to drive to base.

Later they all met again in the living room. Natasha told Pepper again where to find everything and blah blah blah. Reluctantly, Clint handed Alex over to her, placing a final kiss on her little nose. Natasha reluctantly said goodbye as well, before they finally left.

…

"Tony, I swear, if she throws up, you can clean the couch" Pepper said from where she sat in an armchair, tipping around on her tablet for some Stark Industries stuff, but glancing every ten seconds up to Tony, who laid on his back on the couch, holding a laughing Alex over his head, making stupid faces. When he made an extra stupid face, Alex kicked the air while laughing loudly, causing Tony to grin proudly and Pepper to smile softly, finally lying down the tablet.

"She won't, Pep" he chuckled, sticking his tongue out at her. She just shook her head, but was glad when he sat Alex back down on his chest. She laid on her belly, but turned her head a little when Pepper's phone rang. She groaned and got up from her seat and walked over to the kitchen to talk to whoever called her.

Alex turned her attention back to Tony, as soon as Pepper left the room. She slapped her tiny hands down on the arc-reactor she saw glowing through his shirt, and Tony chuckled again. He opened the first buttons on his button-up shirt, showing her the whole reactor.

Her face was illuminated in blue light as she stared intently on the machine. Almost questioningly, she looked up at him, slapping her hand on it again and making a few goo-ing sounds.

"That's my arc-reactor. It keeps me alive. You know, I've done some… really stupid things in the past, but something happened and made me to what I am now. Though… I got hurt during that, and now I have a little metal puzzle in my heart, and this-" he taps lightly on the reactor "is stopping it from hurting me. I still find it creepy that I have a blue shining metal ring in my chest, but… I'd say I got used to it… you like it, huh?" he chuckled again slightly, as he saw her slowly falling asleep on his chest with her head over his heart and her hand on top of his reactor.

"You're safe here, little spy" he whispered, running his hand over her back until she was asleep completely.

"You'd be a good dad, Tony" Pepper said softly from the doorway, startling him a little.

"You have something to tell me, Pep?" he asked sarcastically with a grin, but Pepper just shook her head and sat back down in the chair, continuing to tip around on the tablet.

…  
Around an hour later, Clint and Natasha came back, just as Alex woke up again. Natasha took her happily, smiling as she held her.

"So, what's going to happen now?" Tony asked, standing up again from the couch.

"Since today, we are only assigned to train the recruits, appear as handlers and are only send on missions no one else can be send on" Clint said, looking happy with the result of their meeting.

They always knew they would never be able to quit their work at S.H.I.E.L.D. completely, this was the best they could hope for.

"Thanks for watching her" Natasha said with a little smile.

"No problem, Spidey" Stark said with a wink and Natasha's smile was gone as quickly as it came. If it weren't for the little girl in her arms, she'd probably kick him.

IXXI

So guys, what do you think about the first chapter? I hope you liked it;)


	2. Chapter 2

I'm sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry it took me so long, I'm still stuck in this stupid writers block, I just didn't really know how to continue, but I think I got it now, but I'm still sorry if I disappoint you with this chapter.

IXXI

"Ah, here you are" Clint said as he stepped into the gym, seeing Natasha sit on one of the sparing mats in the middle of the room with Alex and a few of her toys. "I've been running through the whole tower" he chuckled and sat down in front of them. Natasha gave him a warm smile but didn't say anything, too occupied by playing with Alex' hands. But when she saw her daddy sitting in front of her, she smiled and giggled happily. Clint smiled as well and he started to tickle her belly, causing her to laugh hysterically and fall on her back and into Natasha's lap.

"Why are you two down here?" Clint asked with a yawn.

"You looked so tired yesterday, I didn't want her to wake you" Natasha answered with a shrug, continuing to play with Alex. Clint shook his head with a smile, there was no sense in asking her why they went to the gym, Natasha would only shrug.

"And now you look really tired" he said as he took his daughter from her and held her over his head, causing her to laugh again. "How about you get some sleep now, and the two of us go for a little walk, mh?"

Natasha sighed as she gathered the toys, but nodded her head. She felt really tired. Clint smiled and got up with Alex in his arm, his other arm around Natasha's shoulders.

They drove the elevator up to their apartment in silence, listening to Alex 'talking' to her beloved stuffed owl she got from Tony.

„Get some sleep, Tash" Clint mumbled and placed a kiss on her temple. "Say goodnight to your mommy" He said to Alex and waved to Natasha. Alex stared on her daddy's hand, then she seemed to understand and waved to her mommy with a wide smile. Her parents chuckled and after Natasha placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead, she went into their bedroom, catching some sleep.

Clint let out a breath and smiled at his daughter, who was busy playing with the wings of her owl. Clint walked into the nursery, talking a little to her while changing her into a fresh diaper and a little warmer clothes. He then slipped into his leather jacket as well, grabbed the bag with fresh diapers and such stuff, and went out of the tower with her still in his arm's. He didn't bother to grab her stroller, he knew she'd want to get up as soon as possible.

Alex may look like a mini-Natasha, except of her eyes that where the exact same colour as Clint's, but she was definitely a daddy-girl. He could calm her down like no one else could, and she loved lying in his arms, but most of it all, she loved being up high.

So that's why he just kept her in his arms, now and then placing a kiss on the little shock of red hair on her head.

"You wanna meet a great man?" he mumbled as he walked through the already busy streets. He was surprised when she looked up at him with big blue eyes, before nodding her head with a giggle, as if she really understood what he meant, causing Clint to question how much this little, barely six months old girl could actually understand.

He shook this thought though, when she turned her attention away from him and back to her owl. It was a long walk, at some point Alex drifted off to sleep, but when they arrived finally, she was awake again.

Clint gulped when they stood in front of the fence. He looked down on his little girl who was staring at him with a little smile.

"You ready to meet your … your godfather?" he asked softly and she giggled and clapped her hands together, so Clint took a deep breath and walked down the cemetery.

"Hey old man" he said softly, when they reached the gravestone, but had to smile when Alex still wouldn't stop to clap her chubby hands together. He stayed quiet for a moment, just listening to his daughter giggling and babbling, and looking down on the grave. He noticed that the ultrasound picture he placed under the flowers was still there, but now it laid under a candle, and he wondered who visited Phil's grave.

He shook this thought again though, when he noticed Alex leaning forward to reach for a flower. Clint smiled and kneeled down, sitting her down on his leg and supporting her with a hand on her back, then he handed her one little white tulip. She took it carefully, eying it skeptically. She held it in front of her face, going a little crossed-eyed, and she looked really adorable, looking so concentrated, that Clint had to chuckle.

"That's Alex" he said softly with a smile. "I'm sorry I didn't come earlier again, she's just been keeping us busy" he chuckled, placing a kiss on her little head. He didn't feel the need to tell his dead handler about the time he spent in the infirmary after he almost died without knowing his daughter.  
"You know… I've never thought this would actually happen to us, but… well, here she is" he chuckled, smiling as Alex started to slap the flower against her daddy's cheek.

"If I'd known that she would come before… this all happened… I'd wanted you to be her godfather. And I know Tasha would wanted you to be this as well. I'd wanted Alex to know you, but… well. We can't turn back in time, huh?"

By now Alex had the flower thrown down, so Clint picked it up and placed it back between the others. She started to get fuzzy, she was getting hungry, so Clint stood up, so she was up high and calmed down again.

"I'm sorry, but I think she needs to get some food" he chuckled and ran his hand down her back. "We're going to visit you again, soon" he smiled a little. "Say goodbye to your uncle, little bird" he said, waving to the gravestone. Alex stared at his hand again, just like she did earlier, and when she understood she waved as well.

"See ya, old man" Clint whispered and after a little moment, he straightened the bag and walked back to the Tower, humming a slow melody to his little bird.

…

"Where have you been so long?" Natasha asked as she took a fuzzy, wailing Alex from Clint's arms as he stepped into their apartment. She tried to sooth her, but when she realized she was hungry, she went to feed her, and Clint just trotted behind her.

"We… I introduced her to Phil" he said finally and Natasha glanced up at him with a soft smile.

When Alex was fed and sleeping in her crib again, her parents started to gather the little girl's toys from the floor in … every room.

"Did you ever think we'd end up like this?" Clint asked as he picked up a little tiger from underneath the couch.

"I never thought I'd still be living by now" she scoffed but when she saw the look Clint gave her she shook her head. "Never. You know that I had a hard time trying to comprehend the fact that you cared for me, that you **loved** me, and that I love you, but I really never in my whole live thought I'd end up as a mom" she said, gesturing around the room full of child toys. She was quiet for a few moments, then she sighed and turned her gaze away from Clint. " Sometimes… sometimes I still think this is all just a dream and I'd wake up in the red room again." she said quietly, looking down on the little stuffed bird in her hands.

Clint had his hands laid down on her shoulders in an instant, forcing her to look him in the eyes as he spoke.

"This **is** real. It is real, Tash. I can't believe it really myself, but it is real. I know it. You will never end up there again, Natasha. I'd never let this happen, and you know this. I'll never let anything happen to you or Alex." he gave her a warm smile and she looked down again for a little moment, before looking back up to him.

"How do you know?"

"I just know it" he said with a grin, repeating her comforting words she told him the night Alex was born. She smiled at him and leant up to kiss him.

They pulled apart, though, when a loud thunder hit. They both groaned, knowing Alex would be awake now. It was a minute later that Jarvis told them that she was awake, although they still hadn't heard her. They made their way to the nursery and saw Alex sit in her crib with a scared look, clutching her owl to her chest. When she saw her parents she reached out for them and Natasha lifted her up in her arms, rocking her softly.

"I am sorry to interrupt, but Mr. Stark requests me to inform you, that Ms. Foster and Mr. Odinson have arrived" Jarvis announced. "He also wishes you to gather in the main room"

They both sighed and nodded. When Alex was completely quiet again, Natasha wanted to lie her back down in her crib, but she held her in a vice grip and squirmed until Natasha would stop and just keep her in her arms.

She sighed and walked past a chuckling Clint with a glare.

He chuckled even more, but followed his two girls into the elevator.

Once they arrived in the main room, they were greeted by Thor and Jane.

"Hello little girl" she said as Natasha handed Alex to her, so she could greet her as well. The little girl squealed in delight as she was held by Jane, clapping her hands together.

Thor, who stood behind Jana, smiled down at the little 'warrior' (how he called her), and let her catch his finger in her tiny fist.

He still wouldn't hold her, but he would start to play with her or tell her some stories from Asgard.

They all sat down on the couches; Natasha let Jane play a little with Alex, because she really loved the little girl and barely saw her.

"God guys, how long do I have to annoy you, till you move in?" Tony asked/groaned as he slumped down on the couch with a drink.

Everyone rolled their eyes or glared at him, except of Jane, who chuckled from where she was rocking Alex on her lap.

"Uhm… actually we wanted to talk about that with you" she said with a shy smile, and Pepper couldn't help but squeal, causing everyone else to laugh a little, before Tony spoke up.

"Okay, good. You know your apartment is completely finished, right? I can get some guys, and your stuff could be here tonight, no problem, I just need… Jarvis, can you-" he rambled excitedly.

"Ey, keep calm Tony" Jane interjected, chuckling. "I haven't even packed or-"

"Doesn't matter, we can get your stuff, I-"

"Tony" Pepper interrupted with a warning tone and glare and he stopped, slumping disappointedly back onto the couch, mumbling something unintelligible under his breath.

"It's going to be nice with you two more often around" Pepper spoke up, ignoring the whining Tony next to her.

"Yeah, also this little bird really likes you two" Clint mumbled from where he was lying with his feet thrown over the backrest of the couch and his head almost lying on the floor.

"Wow Barton, thought you'd already be sleeping" Tony teased with a smug grin.

"No no, not entirely" he muttered, too tired to say something stupid as well. So he just turned his head away from him and closed his eyes again, unobtrusively turning his hearing aids off.

The others all started to talk randomly stuff soon after that, Clint was asleep and soon after him, Alex drifted off herself, so Natasha took her from Jane and laid her down in her crib, staying in their apartment then.

"I'm hungry" Tony exclaimed sometime during a conversation, interrupting whoever was speaking. "Should I order something?"

The others were used to Tony interrupting them, so they didn't say anything else but what they wanted to eat and all.

"Jo Barton" he called, trying to wake the archer. "Baaaartooon" he 'sang' and when he still wouldn't move, Tony stood up, grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. He was awake then; his eyes shot open and he flung himself off the couch and twisted Tony's arm behind his back, making him wince a little.

The others didn't move, just stared at the men in front of them with wide eyes.

When Clint recognized Tony, he let go of his arm and stood back again.

"Jesus, Barton, what the hell?... Barton, hey" when Clint didn't respond, but looked around the room a little confused, Tony flicked his fingers in front of his face, startling him again.  
He then noticed his hearing aids were still off, so he put them back on quickly.

"Hm?" he asked, glancing at him.

"Dude, what's wrong with you? Are you deaf or are you just ignoring us?" he asked a little jokingly, but Clint sat down on the couch with a sigh.

"Actually, I am" he stated, grabbing his glass of water from the coffetable. The others all stared at him again, until Jane spoke up.

"What?"

"Well...it was during a mission, a sonic arrow went off too early, and I lost eighty percent of my hearing" he said, sipping his water as he waited for their reaction.

"Uhm… and how-" Steve started to ask, but he didn't need to finish his question, Clint just pointed to his ears.

"Hearing aids" he said, placing his glass back on the table. They were all quiet for a while, until Tony clapped his hands together again.

"Okay, but I'm still hungry. So, what do you want to eat, Barton?" he asked and Clint chuckled, glad he changed the topic. Also he was glad the team finally knew it.

IXXI

Okay, I'm really unsure by my writing at the moment, so it would be really really really great of you if you'd tell me if it's okay.

So please do me a favor and tell me ;)


	3. Chapter 3

Hello, hello, hello. I'm sorry, sorry, sorry. I wanted to upload faster, I really knew what to write, but I just couldn't really write it down, I don't know why.

**SavingViolets:** first, thank you for reading and reviewing:) second, I'm really trying to get my writing

better, but I don't know how to hook up with a beta. If there is one reading my story, and wants to help me, let me know;)

So, and now about your wish about adding Darcy to my story… I don't think this will happen, I like Darcy a lot as well, but I just don't know what to do with her, I mean I can't imagine her in the Tower, so… I'm sorry.

IXXI

Clint and Natasha groaned when Alex cried again.

"Your turn" he groaned, burring his face in the pillow.

"No it's your turn" she mumbled, slapping him in the chest. "She's your fault, so it's your turn" she pouted, although she didn't mean it. She turned around and kicked him until he finally got out of the bed. He mumbled something unintelligible, but before he walked out of the room he pulled the blanket off the bed, earning some Russian curses.

He made his way to the nursery with a tired chuckle, still hearing her curse him.  
When he stepped into the room, he was greeted by Alex' whimpers. She sat in her crib with her owl clutched to her chest, burring her face in the feathers. Clint stepped closer to the crib and took his little daughter into his arms, rocking her softly while humming a song to her.

She was teething at the moment. Usually she had no problems with it at all, but tonight she was really uncomfortable.

So, now it was already the third time that night, that they had to calm her down and it wasn't even three in the morning.

"Ssh little bird. It's all alright" he whispered into her hair.

She whimpered a little while longer, but eventually she fell asleep with her head on his chest and she almost dropped her owl, but Clint caught it and after a minute or so he laid Alex back down in her crib with her owl next to her.

He stayed a minute longer, making sure she was really sleeping, then he quietly walked out of the nursery and back into their bedroom, where Natasha laid curled up in a tight ball with the whole blanket around her.

Clint chuckled as he saw her, she was still awake, and when he laid down next to her, she wrapped the blanket around her shoulders even tighter.

"Tasha, it's august, isn't it a little hot underneath that?" he asked, tugging on the blanket, causing her to growl at him.

"I don't care, you won't get any blanket tonight" she grumbled, tugging more blanket away from him. He only chuckled, too tired to argue with her at this early hour. So he just leant over, placed a kiss on her head and laid down on his back, asleep within a few minutes.

Natasha tried really hard to keep her distance between them, but when Clint awoke, she laid with her head on his chest, her arm thrown over him and the blanket halfway on the floor.

Clint chuckled and tried to stand up without waking her, but he failed and she was awake soon.

"You're not mad at me anymore?" he asked with a smile and she rolled away from him and off the bed, stretching her arms a bit.

"Yes, I am. Get a shower, Barton" she said while throwing a shirt at him. He chuckled and got off the bed as well.

"Yes ma'am" he said, stopping in front of her. After placing a kiss on her forehead he saluted, earning a slap on his arm from her. He smirked at her and then disappeared in the bathroom.

When he was gone, Natasha just wanted to clean up the room a bit, when Jarvis told her that Alex was awake. She sighed, placed the blanket back onto the bed, then walked down the hallway to her daughter.

She stepped into the room, just to find Alex try to pull herself into a standing position but failing, so she fell back down onto the mattress, looking a little confused at her mother.

Natasha smiled as she approached her little girl, who held her arms out to be picked up, so Natasha complied and scooped her up into her arms.

"Good morning, little girl" she said while walking around the room a little before settling down on the window sill. When they sat down, Alex squirmed to get out of her arms again, so Natasha sat her down on the sill, so she could look out on the city below.

She often wanted to just sit in front of the window, looking at the city. Every time she did this, she looked concentrated, but always with a smile on her face, her little hands flat against the cool glass.

"Already like your daddy, huh?" Natasha said with a quiet chuckle, but Alex ignored her, causing Natasha to shake her head with a smile at her daughter.

After a while though, Alex got bored and started to crawl across the window sill. Natasha let her, but when she came close to the edge, she picked her up into her arms again, tickling her a little, causing the girl to shake with laughter.

The laughter continued, making it hard for Natasha to change the little girl. She talked a little Russian with her, instead of tickling her, but she still kept giggling and laughing. Eventually though, she managed to get fresh clothes on her, though she was still giggling.

"What's so funny?" Clint asked as he stepped into the room with still damp hair and a smile on his face.

Alex was still giggling when she pointed at him with her finger.

"Hm… I think you are" Natasha answered with a chuckle and Clint gave them a played hurt look, but didn't really comment it any further.

Natasha sat Alex down on the floor where she started to crawl into the living room as fast as she could, which was pretty fast by now.

She started to crawl not long ago, but since then she wanted to be on the floor all the time and crawl through the whole apartment. And she was really fast, so her parents were almost all the time running behind her.

When they stepped out of the nursery, Alex was already sitting in front of the couch, chewing on the ear of a plush rabbit. Clint sat down next to her and started to play with her, while Natasha went to get a shower as well.

When she returned, they went into the elevator and drove up to the main floor.

Once upstairs, they let Alex crawl around again while they looked for anyone awake. In the kitchen sat Bruce, Steve and Tony. Steve must've just come back from his morning work-out, and Bruce and Tony looked like they just came out off their lab. The two hung each over a hot cup of coffee, seemingly not able to talk, and Steve was occupied drinking about every bottle of water from the fridge, though he acknowledged the two assassins with a nod of his head.

No one except of Steve seemed to notice Clint or Natasha, and they just wanted to say something, when Alex came crawling into the room and ran into Tony's legs under the table, causing the billionaire to jump in surprise. At the noise next to him, Bruce winced, rubbing his temples to get rid of his headache.

Steve, Natasha and Clint chuckled, while Tony picked the giggling girl up with a smile and sat her down in his lap. She got quiet though, when she saw the light of his arc-reactor glow through his shirt. She stared at it and began to slap on it, causing everyone to laugh.

"Good morning, my friends" Thor suddenly said and Bruce winced again.

No one had noticed him or Jane step into the kitchen, so they were all a little surprised to hear him.

Thor and Jane were officially living in the Tower for two weeks now, though Thor sometimes had to leave for Asgard, but he would spend less time there, and more time on earth.

Jane only smiled a little, you can't talk to her before she hadn't had her coffee.

"And good morning to you too, little warrior" he said with a smile, making a little bow for Alex and 'shaking' her hand.

She let her gaze wander from Tony's chest, to Thor's hand, up to his face. She looked at him with a wide smile and started to giggle again, almost falling from Tony's lap.

When she had calmed down a bit, she held her arms out to be picked up, but Thor backed away a bit. He still didn't want to hold her, he was afraid he'd hurt her.

"Jesus, Thor. At some point you have to hold her" Jane muttered over the edge of her cup.

"But I could hurt her" he said with a concerned look.

Alex was still looking up at Thor, but now her lip was quivering and she was about to cry, so Tony stood up with a sigh, and just placed her in Thor's hands. She was immediately smiling and clapping, Thor only looked down at the girl in his arms with shock written all over his face.

He held her at arm length, unsure of what to do, and everyone in the room just laughed at his helplessness. Alex held her arms out to him again, trying to reach for his hair, so he pulled her closer a bit and she began to tug on his blond hair. The others were still laughing and now Thor laughed as well.

"See, you won't hurt her" Jane chuckled from where she sat on the counter, her cup still clutched in her hands like her life depends on it.

Thor, as well as everybody else, chuckled as she continued to tug on his hair.

"When was the last time you two had a day for yourself?" Tony suddenly said, looking at the two agents.

Clint just shrugged and poured himself a cup of coffee, while Natasha eyed the billionaire carefully.

"Why?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You two look like you need a day off. Get out, we can watch her" he said, pointing to Alex with his head. He leaned against the table, imitating Natasha's pose.

"And what do you think should we do?" Natasha asked, ignoring everyone's eyes on them. Tony only shrugged.

"Don't know. Get… to the cinema, eat dinner, I could get you a hotel room" he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Tony" Pepper warned, as she stepped into the kitchen. They were all silent for a minute, Natasha glaring at Tony, he looking at her with his stupid smirk, until Clint started to chuckle.

"Okay, fine. If you want a teething baby around all day"

They discussed a long time, Natasha always came up with new reasons why they shouldn't leave Alex alone with the team, but eventually they agreed. It was around two pm that they were able to shoo them away (because Natasha took very long to say goodbye to her daughter) to get a day off.

"Before you do something really stupid and Natasha's going to kill you, I'd say you get some sleep" Pepper said as she picked up Alex just before Tony got the chance to do so.

"I can stay awake much longer" he grumbled, arguing like a little kid.

"Yeah, and you do know what stupid things you did every time you stayed awake that long?" she argued, while rocking Alex on her hip. Tony muttered something again, but seemed to agree with her. "Now, go" she said with a small smile while giving him a gentle push towards the elevator.

Tony stomped towards the elevator, all the while muttering something under his breath, but eventually the door closed and he was gone, Bruce had disappeared already that morning to catch up his sleep.

Pepper heaved a sigh, returning her attention back to Alex while walking back into the kitchen where Steve, Jane and Thor were sitting.

When she stepped into the room, they were all chuckling, and she only shook her head and leaned against the counter.

"Okay, so-" Pepper wanted to start, but she was cut off from her phone buzzing in her pocket. She sighed and sat Alex back down on the floor, where she started to crawl again, and left the kitchen to pick up her phone.

Alex giggled as she crawled around under the table until she bumped into Steve's legs. She looked up at him with wide eyes, but when he smiled and started to pick her up, she laughed, squirming in his arms.

"Hey, how about we two go for a walk, huh?" he asked, tickling her belly, causing her to squirm and laugh hysterically.

"I guess that's a yes" Jane chuckled from the other end of the table. She stood up then, waving a goodbye over her shoulder as she pulled Thor out of the kitchen behind her, causing the god and soldier to chuckle.

"Where-" Pepper started as she returned into the kitchen, but she waved her question off. "I need to get to my office, it is really important, can you-"

"Sure, no problem. We're going for a walk, I think. Make sure everything's alright, I've got this" Steve chuckled and Pepper heaved a sigh with a soft smile.

"Thank you"

Steve nodded with a smile and got up and walked over to the elevator with Alex in his arms. They drove down to their apartment, where he grabbed the bag with Alex' stuff and her jacket and laid her down in her stroller.

Alex immediately whined a bit, but Steve kept her in the stroller and they made their way out of the Tower and towards Central Park. After around thirty minutes though, Alex stopped to whine, she started to cry. So Steve finally picked her up and after a minute she was quiet again and had her head lying in the crook of his neck.

"You know, one thing we two have in common?" he asked her with a little smile. "You know as much about this world as I do" he chuckled and she giggled, as if she understood him. "But I'm sure, soon you will understand more of this all, than I do"

Steve was still struggling to adjust to this century, but he had friends, and, hey, at least he could finally make a phone call with his cell phone.

They walked further through the park, all the while some women smiled at him or told him how cute Alex was. He'd always smile back or say thanks, but he wouldn't really talk to them.

At some point, when they were already on their way back, a little brown-haired boy ran into Steve's legs. The boy was maybe a little older than a year, and when he looked up at Steve, he held his hands in front of his mouth, trying to hide his laughter, but failing.

"Sorry" he got out between laughter.

"No problem" Steve chuckled and kneeled down before him, shifting Alex so she sat on his leg and could look at the boy in front of them. She smiled and waved at him. The boy smiled as well and shook her hand and made a little bow, before saying "Hello".

Alex and the boy laughed, causing Steve to chuckle. He just wanted to ask him where his parents were, when he saw a woman walk to them, a relieved look on her face.

"Here you are, Peter. Don't you ever scare me like that again" she said, approaching them. The boy, Peter, giggled and ran into his mother's arms, who scooped him up and hugged him.

"Sorry, Mama" he mumbled, but still grinned. Steve smiled as well and stood up again.

"I hope he didn't cause any trouble" the woman said with an apologetic smile and Steve shook his head, telling her everything's fine. "Okay, let's get back to Daddy, huh?" she asked her son and he nodded, so she said goodbye to Steve and turned around to walk away again.

Peter turned to look over his mother's shoulder and waved at Alex and Steve. Steve smiled a little and Alex waved at him with a pout.

Steve chuckled at her and started to walk again. At some point Alex got tired and fell asleep in his arms, so Steve laid her back down in the stroller, hoping she wouldn't wake up, only because she wasn't up high anymore. He was lucky, she stayed quiet and kept sleeping.

They were almost back at the Tower, when he noticed a little coffee shop and decided to get one, considering that Alex was still asleep.

A blonde woman that stood in the line in front of him, dressed like a waitress from a nearby restaurant, turned around and bumped into the stroller, almost spilling her coffee on Steve's shirt.

"Oh, I'm sorry" she said and Steve gave her a little smile as he picked up Alex, who was awake thanks to the bumping and was about to cry any moment.

"It's okay" he chuckled, rocking Alex a bit in order to calm her down again.

"I'm sorry, little girl" she apologized and after a moment, Alex was okay again and started to giggle, causing the two adults to smile. "She's really cute"

"Yeah, she is" Steve agreed.

"Seems like you make a good Daddy" she said after a while, causing him to blush a little.

"No, I'm not her father" he said with a chuckle. "I'm just watching her today; we gave her parents a day off, so now it's my turn to watch her" he explained and she nodded in understanding. She was just about to reply, when an angry sounding man yelled from the restaurant she must be working at.

"Beth, stop flirting and get back to work!" he yelled and she let her head hang down with a sigh.

"I swear, someday I get out of there" she said with a smile. "It was nice to meet you" she said and turned to leave, and before Steve had a chance to answer, she was gone.

He looked after her for a moment, saw how the man yelled at her, but he decided to do nothing, seeing her already back at work. He ordered his coffee and sat Alex, though she protested, back in her stroller, then they continued to walk back to the Tower.

When they arrived, Alex was whining again, so Steve picked her up with a sigh.

"You really hate that stroller, huh?" he asked her and she nodded, surprising Steve. He stared at her for a moment, and she giggled, so he shook his head and stepped into the elevator.

"Hey" Bruce greeted from where he was standing next to the coffee machine, nursing a hot cup of coffee in his hands.

"Hi" Steve greeted as well and sat Alex down on the floor where she started to crawl towards Bruce with a smile.

"Hey" he chuckled and placed his cup on the counter. He then picked her up and tickled her belly, making her squirm and giggle in his arms. "I can watch her now, if you want" he suggested when she was calm again, rocking her on his hip.

"Okay" Steve agreed with a nod. "Where're the others?" he asked, when he noticed Bruce, Alex and himself were the only ones here.

"Uhm… Tony must be still sleeping, at least I didn't see him, Pepper's still in her office, and Thor and Jane… I have no clue" he chuckled, and so did Steve.

"I'm gonna hit the gym, then" he told him and after a nod from Bruce, he made his way down to the gym for the second time this day.

Bruce chuckled as Alex tried to pull his glasses out of his shirt pocket. He placed them on the counter, took his cup in one hand and walked over to the elevator. He sat her in the stroller for a moment, looking down at her with a pathetic look when she began to whine again.

He pushed the stroller into the elevator and pushed the button for Clint and Natasha's apartment, hoping Alex wouldn't start to cry just yet.

He had no such luck, the doors just opened and Alex was already crying. He emptied his cup and placed it on the counter, then he scooped her up into his arms while putting the stroller away.  
She continued to cry, though, no matter how hard Bruce tried to calm her. It took him a while, but eventually he thought she'd just need a fresh diaper.

He was right, but when he changed her, she was still crying a bit, and Bruce guessed she was hungry, so he went into the kitchen and fed her, and after that she was smiling again, though she looked a little tired.

So Bruce picked her up again and after putting her into her pajama, he sat down with her on the window sill, grabbing a book as he did so.

He sat her down in his lap, where she leant her head heavily against his chest, and opened the book in front of her, so she still could look at the pictures.

He started to read to her, but soon she was asleep, curled up against his chest with her thump in her mouth.

Bruce had to smile at her, and after a while he placed the book on the sill next to him and gently lifted her up and laid her down in her crib.

He left the apartment for a moment, to get to his own and grab a book, then he returned and sat down on the couch in the living room, starting to read.

Alex slept through, when Jarvis informed Bruce that she was awake, he walked into the nursery and saw her trying to pull herself into a standing position again. This time she stood for a few seconds, but then she fell back down on her butt and started to giggle, holding her arms out.

Bruce smirked and picked her up, handing her her owl.

"Jo Bruuucyyy"

Bruce sighed when he heard Tony … 'sing'. He stepped out of the room and when Alex saw Tony, she squirmed to get back to the floor so she could crawl to him. The billionaire chuckled and picked her up, once she had approached him.

"Hm. Seems like someone likes me more than you" he said, sticking his tongue out to Bruce. Alex giggled and started to slap him on the cheek, but Tony held a hand in front of his face so it looked like she was giving him a high-five, making the two men laugh.

"Jarvis told me your results are ready. I can watch her, she likes me more than you, anyways" he grinned, causing the scientist to roll his eyes at him, but nodding, so he said goodbye to Alex and made his way down to his lab.

"So little spy? What are we going to do now?" Tony asked her, once Bruce was gone. As an answer, Alex wanted to go back down on the floor, so he sat her down on the carpet and when he understood that she wanted to play, he sat down on the floor with her.

They played for a while, and Tony turned around to get a toy for her, but when he turned back around, Alex was gone. His eyes widened, and he stood up, searching for the little girl. He searched her for about ten minutes, then he felt really nervous. Natasha and Clint would kill him, they'd rip him into pieces.

"Jarvis, where is Alex?"

"I'm sorry, but my sensors don't catch any movements except of yours, sir" the AI informed him and Tony felt like banging his head against the wall.

"Are you kidding me?" he exclaimed, now literally banging his head against the wall.

"I'm sorry, sir. But I guess hitting your head rapidly against the wall won't help you find her"

"No, really? How comes that I didn't think of that?" he exclaimed sarcastically.

"Shall I get the others to help your search?"

Tony slowly started to regret how he programmed Jarvis, he could hear his amusement. And he was no real person, a computer program, and still. he seemed. amused.

"It would be a good idea" He said through clenched teeth. He could swear he heard Jarvis chuckle, making himself wonder how good he built his AI.

He shook that thought though, instead continued to search Alex.

After around two minutes, Jane and Thor appeared.

"Jarvis told us you've lost Alex" Jane said and she was really hard trying to hide her laughter. Thor wasn't. He grinned at the fact that the 'genie, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist' just lost an eight months old baby.

"Stop laughing!" Tony said forcefully. "That's not funny" he whined, he looked really like he'd get a panic attack any moment. "Natasha and Barton are going to kill me!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry" Jane chuckled. She took a deep breath, then she started to focus on searching a baby.

A few minutes later, Bruce, Steve and Pepper, who looked like she came back only a few minutes ago, stepped out of the elevator.

"I left for maybe thirty minutes, and you lost her already?" Bruce asked, immediately starting to search as well. Steve didn't really give a comment, just shook his head with a smirk before searching.

"Tony, how can you lose a baby?" Pepper whined, dropping her bag and looking around with the others.

"I turned around for not even two seconds! How am I supposed to know that an eight months old baby can just vanish when I don't constantly look at her?"

"She's the daughter of two master assassins, Tony" Steve mumbled, as if it would explain everything.

Tony just wanted to snap at him, but Pepper placed a hand on his shoulder, turning him around and giving him a little push so he'd start to search again.

They all looked around the whole apartment, they looked everywhere, but there was no sign of Alex. She was just gone. They all looked a little desperate now, especially Tony. It was his fault, and if they wouldn't find her, Natasha would really rip his head off. And then Clint would blow his body up with one of his explosive arrows.  
He gulped when that thought hit him, and he almost screamed in surprise when the elevator doors opened, to reveal Clint and Natasha stepping into the apartment, that was now a real mess. They stared at their apartment with wide eyes, Tony, who was at the moment the only one in their sight, stared at **them** with wide eyes.

"Why are you back?" he asked, trying to hide his angst, but his voice was failing him. Clint sighed and walked over to the open kitchen, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.

"I have a better question. Why is our apartment such a mess?" Natasha asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Tony gulped hard, hoping someone else would appear and tell her.

"Uhm, what is Barton doing there?" he asked, nodding to the archer that just sat down on the kitchen floor behind the counter, so Tony couldn't see him anymore.

"Don't try to divert, Stark. Where's Alex?"

"I can't find her" Steve sighed as he stepped into the room. "Oh, Natasha… what are you doing here?" he asked nervously, but Natasha ignored that question, she just raised an eyebrow, urging Tony to speak.

"Well, I… kinda lost her" he mumbled, avoiding her eyes. Natasha sighed. She looked over to where Clint was sitting on the floor and, to Tony's surprise, she smiled.

"You may check the kitchen" she said and Tony cautiously made his way around the counter, thinking that Clint would jump out and attack him for losing his daughter. But to his surprise, the archer sat on the floor with his daughter in his lap.

"Wha- Where?" Tony stammered with wide eyes.

"Did you check the cupboards?" Clint asked, looking up at him with a smirk that didn't really reach his eyes.

"What?!"

"When she started to crawl, I was alone with her for only a few minutes, I looked away from her for a second and then she was gone. We found her sleeping in that cupboard" he chuckled, pointing to an open cupboard next to him.

"Okay!" Tony exclaimed, throwing his arms over his head with a dramatic sigh. The others were now in the living room as well, glad Alex was found and surprised her parents were there again.

Alex crawled around the living room again, while the others cleaned up the room. Natasha explained them why they were back, when Clint stopped to tidy up, playing with Alex instead.

"He… got a call from S.H.I.E.L.D. He's got a mission" she said, looking at her husband interact with their little daughter, though he was having a sad look on his face. "He has to leave tomorrow, that's why we're back already"  
There was no need for her to tell them that he wasn't really… happy about that, the others understood it and stayed quiet.

"Dada"

They all looked at the little girl with wide eyes, especially Clint. Alex sat in his lap, looking up at him with big blue eyes and a smile, slapping him on the cheek and repeating what she just said. It brought tears to his eyes. He shook his head at her, barely audible mumbling "No. No Alex, stop that". He then stood up with her and walked into the nursery, closing the door behind him.

Natasha sighed, she was really happy that Alex just talked, but happy about his reaction she wasn't.  
The others were still staring a little, no one dared to speak, so Natasha spoke up.

"I have to clear that. I think it's better if you'd leave now. Thanks for watching her today" she said with a small smile and no one really said something, only good night and then they left.

Natasha laid a blanket neatly over the back of the couch, then made her way to the nursery.

Clint sat on the window sill, cradling Alex to his chest, rocking her slowly. Natasha closed the door quietly, then made her way over to him and sat down on the window sill as well.  
After a long time, when Alex was asleep already, Clint spoke up quietly.

"She can't do that to me, Tash. She can't just start to speak when I have to leave for god knows how long. She just can't."

Natasha nodded, she could understand him very well.

"I know Clint, but she has to start to speak at some point. She gets bigger, Clint, she gets older, she'll walk soon."

"God, I know Tasha, but it really doesn't help at the moment" he chuckled bitterly and she nodded.

"I know" she said with a small but sad smile.

"Why can't she just stay so little?" he asked, looking down at his daughter, curled up against his chest with her thump in her mouth again.

"Babies grow, Clint" she shrugged.

"Yeah" he mumbled, placing a kiss on her little head.

"You need to lie her down at some point" she stated after a while.  
Clint only shook his head. "Clint" she said and he sighed, standing up and lying Alex finally down in her crib.

Natasha stood next to him, an arm around his waist and they just looked down on their little girl for a while.

"I love you two" Clint whispered after a while.

"Come, we still need to clean up the mess the guys caused" she said with a smirk and he groaned quietly, but they actually left and tidied up.

IXXI

Okay, again, I'm really sorry it took me so long, but … at least it is longer, and I really hope you like it;)


	4. Chapter 4

Oh, well here is already the fourth… This chapter isn't thaaaaat good… soo…. please tell me what you think, okay? Okay.

I hope you still like it ;)

IXXI

When Natasha awoke, she was surprised. She slept through, not one time Alex woke her. When she looked to her right, she knew why. Clint was gone, and the bed next to her was cold. She sighed and got up to walk into the nursery, where she was sure she'd find him.

And she was right. When she stepped into the room, Clint sat on the floor next to the crib. He had his hand lying between the bars, and when she stepped closer, she saw that Alex was cuddling with his hand instead of her owl.

"Don't you think you should sleep at least a bit?" she asked softly, kneeling down next to him. She saw him shake his head and she heaved another sigh, leaning her head on his shoulder.

After a while, Alex woke up and wanted to be picked up, so Clint took her into his arms, smiling when she giggled.

"I don't want to leave her" he mumbled into her ever growing red hair. Natasha only nodded her head, she wouldn't want to leave her as well in his situation.

…

Clint played the whole morning with Alex, until ten am, when he had to leave. Clint wouldn't let go of Alex, so they brought her reluctantly with them to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.

They planned on never bring her to base, but Clint just couldn't let go of her. He could quickly say goodbye to the team, no problem. But he just couldn't say goodbye to Alex.

So, when they arrived at base, Clint would keep her in his arms, no matter what.  
They walked through the long hallways, and the looks they received were even worse than when Natasha was only pregnant. But, as well as they did then, they just ignored everyone's eyes on them. When they arrived at the jets, they met up with Fury and their new handler agent Sitwell.

"Agents" Fury nodded his greeting. "Miss" he said, nodding towards Alex who looked at him curiously, and Natasha swore she'd seen their boss smile.

"Don't mess this mission up, agent Barton" he addressed Clint, who still held Alex tightly to his chest.

"I won't" he said shortly and then the director left already.

Agent Sitwell handed Clint the last details about the mission, wished him luck, and then left, giving the little family time to say goodbye.

"Do me a favor and don't say any other words until I'm home, okay little bird? Can you do that for me? Can you stay that little until I come back?" he whispered, looking into her eyes. To their surprise, she nodded and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Tasha, take her away, or I'm going to take her with me" Clint whined, looking at Natasha with desperate eyes. She gave him a little smile and took Alex out of his arms, though she whined at the loss of her daddy's hug.

"Get home as fast as possible" Natasha said softly, straightening his shirt. He nodded and gave the two of them a long hug, giving Natasha a soft kiss and peppering Alex face with kisses, making her giggle.

"I love you two" he said, hugging them once again.

"Stay safe" Natasha said and after a while, Clint finally pulled away and left, boarding his jet. Once the ramp was closed and he was ready to take off, he looked out of the window, waving at his family. Just when the jet took off, Alex mumbled "Dada?" making Natasha's heart clench.  
"He'll be back soon" she mumbled into her hair, and once the jet was fully out of sight, they left.

…

The next days were real shit. Alex knew her daddy was gone, and she missed him. She was crying more often, and it was harder to calm her down. Thor was surprisingly the best way to calm her; when he held her she was up high and that always calmed her, but it still took way longer than when Clint was here. And the fact that Thor had to go back to Asgard made the situation even worse.

Alex would say 'Dada' all the time and Natasha just wanted for Clint to finish his mission… Or at least that he'd call them, but he couldn't. The mission was really important, he needed to concentrate.

Natasha kept getting updates from agent Sitwell, though, at least twice a day.

The mission should take about three days, but Clint was now gone for eight days, but Natasha wouldn't admit that she was worried, and so would no one else.

They just kept going and avoided to talk about the situation.

So now, Natasha, Alex and Steve went for a walk, while Bruce and Jane disappeared in the lab and Tony and Pepper were on the main floor.

.  
Pepper gave a sound of surprise, when she stepped out of the kitchen and into the living room and saw the black jet land on the platform next to Tony's personal Iron man platform. Tony chuckled from his spot on the couch, continuing to tip around on his tablet, though looking up once.

"Don't worry, Pep. It's just Barton" he said when he recognized the archer in the jet. She sighed and told Jarvis to open the balcony door for him, when he stepped out of the jet.

He was limping, he steadied himself on the railing of the balcony and had pain written all over his face with every step he took.

Pepper's breath caught in her throat when she saw him, and she quickly made her way out onto the balcony as well, approaching him with a shocked expression.

"Hi" Clint greeted through gritted teeth.

"What happened?" she breathed, looking at him with wide eyes.

Clint waved it off, then he stopped and gripped the railing tightly with both hands, taking deep breaths.

"Clint?" Pepper asked, stepping closer a bit. He looked back at her and gratefully took her offer to steady him, so he laid his arm around her shoulders and they slowly started to walk. They didn't come far though, because after around three steps, Pepper looked up at Clint to see his eyes roll back in his head and before she could do anything he fell to the floor, where he laid motionless and unconscious.

Pepper kneeled down beside him, trying to wake him, with no success.

"Tony!" she called for the billionaire who looked up from his tablet, looked at them with wide eyes, jumped off the couch and ran to them.

"What happened?!" he exclaimed, kneeling down beside her.

"Do I look like I know?!" she snapped at him. "Help me get him inside!"

Tony sighed and together they laid his arms around their shoulders and hoisted Clint up, dragging him into the living room.

"Okay, Jarvis get Bruce up here. Now!" Tony grunted under the weight of the archer, glad they could finally lay him down on the couch.

It didn't take long until Bruce and Jane stepped out of the elevator, already with a medical kit.

Jane stood next to Pepper, imitating her shocked look as she saw the beaten up archer, while Bruce walked in front of the couch, eyeing the situation at hand.

"What happened?" he asked while trying to wake him.

"No clue, he just came back from his mission" Tony stated.

Bruce nodded and after a while Clint woke up again with a groan. He slowly cracked an eye open, recognized Bruce, then closed it again, but Bruce urged him to open his eyes again.

"What?" he groaned. "Where's Tasha?" he asked.

Bruce told him where she was, then, without warning, held a little flashlight in front of his eyes. Clint winced and quickly turned his head away.

Bruce didn't need to check much more, it was pretty obvious to him.

"Seems like you've got a concussion" he mumbled, though more to himself. "What happened?"

"The usual stuff. Observation, get the information, get a little tortured, take down the mark and leave" Clint mumbled, his speech pretty slurred.

"What was that in the middle?" Tony asked, starring at him with wide eyes, just like the others did.

Clint didn't answer, he found it hard to concentrate, especially as the dizziness he felt got even worse and the room and everyone spun around him and he blacked out for a few seconds.  
When he could see straight again, he found himself staring at the concerned faces of his teammates hovering above him.

He groaned again and laid his left arm over his eyes and they all hissed.

"What?" he mumbled/groaned.

"What happened to your hand?" Tony exclaimed and Clint sighed.

"I told you the usual stuff" he mumbled.

"Oh, and that includes getting your fingernails ripped out?!"

"Mhhm" Clint nodded and they all continued to stare at him.

"You're bleeding" Bruce noticed and Clint scoffed at him.

"No really? Good observation, doc"

"Pepper, could you get me some water and a towel?" he asked, ignoring Clint's comment. She nodded and left the room for a minute.

"Tony, open his vest, okay?"

"Why me? You have hands as well!"

"Do you want your good couch full with blood?" he asked, not looking up from where he was searching through the medical kit. Tony groaned dramatically and Clint had to chuckle at his behavior, but it ended up in coughs and winces.

He sighed at his really bad condition, and so he leant over and pulled down the zipper of his S.H.I.E.L.D. vest.

"Oh shit" he hissed as he saw his exposed chest, bloody and bruised and with four deep, long cuts. Bruce looked up and hissed as well.

"What?" Clint groaned again, still keeping his arm over his eyes.

"Clint, have you been whipped?" Jane asked quietly, while Pepper placed a bowl with water and the towel on the coffetable, avoiding to look at the archer.

"Seriously, what don't you understand at 'Observation, get the information, get a little tortured, take down the mark and leave'? It's not that hard to comprehend, is it?" Clint mumbled into his arm, his hand, which still had all its fingernails, hanging down the side of the couch lazily.

Bruce shook his head and started to clean up the cuts. He barely touched the wounds, but Clint hissed and reflexively sat up, causing even more pain to spread through his body. Bruce continued, though, and Clint tried hard to stifle sounds. They didn't really hear the elevator doors open, though Jane and Pepper looked up at Steve and Natasha with wide eyes.

Natasha just sat Alex down on the floor and she took of crawling to the couch, where everyone was standing.

"What's wrong?" she asked then, eying them skeptically. They couldn't answer though, because just when they wanted to stammer an answer, Alex pulled herself to stand in front of the couch and she placed both her hands in Clint's.

"Dada!" she exclaimed happily, and he looked down at her from under his hand. He looked at her a little puzzled for a moment, then he smiled down at her, not noticing Bruce stopping.

"Clint" Natasha exclaimed when she saw him in his condition. "Could you bring Alex away?" she asked Jane and Pepper quietly, and they nodded and Jane picked up the little girl, who whined when she was brought away from her daddy. It surprised everyone that she recognized him, only by seeing his hand… maybe it was just luck.

"Dada" she whined and when they were in the elevator, they could hear her start to cry, just as the doors closed.

"Tasha, why- HOLY SHIT! STARK!" Clint wanted to ask her why she send Alex away, but was really painfully cut off when Tony pressed the towel down on the deepest cut pretty hard.

"Don't cry you baby" he muttered with a smirk.

"What? You're not the one who hang down eight hours from chains, got whipped, punched for hours and got his fingernails ripped out, and **still** had to finish the mission. So we can talk about who's the baby when you find yourself in such a situation for… don't know, the tenth time?"

They were all silent after that and Bruce, Steve and Tony looked at him with wide eyes, Natasha with a soft look. She knew about that all, not once he saved her life by getting himself tortured and almost killed.

She sat down on the armrest behind his head and threaded her fingers through his hair, trying to get the headache, she knew he must have, better. He relaxed visibly, closing his eyes under his arm again and trying to take deep breaths, though his probably broken rips made it hard for him.

He let Bruce take care of the cuts without much arguing, because… well, after about five minutes he lost consciousness again.

When he awoke again, he was lying in his and Natasha's bed. He didn't even question how he came down here, his head hurt too much to think about that. He groaned and started to turn around so he could roll out of the bed, but someone stopped him.

"Dare to move and I'll send you back there" Natasha threatened from the doorway, Alex in her arms.

He laid his head back into the pillow and grinned his stupid grin.

"Sorry" he mumbled, closing his eyes for a moment.

"I thought we agreed that you won't do something like that again" she said, sitting down on the bed next to him and placing the little girl on the mattress between them.

"I'll always do something like this if it keeps you two safe" he answered, smiling as Alex crawled towards him.

"I know, but no one here was in danger. You can't just risk your life like that again, Clint. She needs you here"

"I had everything in control, Nat. I won't do it anymore" he promised, still with his stupid grin.

Natasha shook her head, but didn't say anything else.

"Dada" Alex exclaimed, trying to climb on Clint's chest. He winced, so Natasha took her off of him, telling her to be careful with her daddy, though she didn't understand it. She curled together in Clint's side, though, happy he was back.

She'd missed her daddy.


	5. Chapter 5

I'm sorry, it took me a little longer to update, I couldn't quite find the motivation to write, but … here it is, I hope you like it, though;)

IXXI

„Nat, I'm fine, really" Clint said but winced a little when he picked up Alex, making it hard for Natasha to believe him.

Natasha stood in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, and scoffed at him with a little smirk.

"If you say so"

"Yes, I say so" he said, sticking his tongue out at her, making her roll her eyes.

"Agent Romanoff, Miss Foster requires your help on her floor" Jarvis spoke up, before the two could argue any longer.

"Okay" Natasha sighed. She placed a kiss on Clint's cheek, then on Alex' forehead, before making her way to the elevator, to see what Jane needs her to help with.

"Jane?" she called out when she stepped out of the elevator, but the scientist was nowhere to see.

"Miss Foster is currently to find in the main bedroom, agent Romanoff" Jarvis helped out, and Natasha nodded, making her way down the hallway to said bedroom. She knocked on the door, but when she didn't receive an answer, she slowly stepped into the room.

Jane sat on the end of the huge bed, staring at the little calendar in her hands with wide eyes.

"Hey" Natasha said softly, approaching her slowly. When Jane still wouldn't answer or look up, she sat down on the bed next to her. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly, eying her carefully. "Jane"

"I'm late" she whispered finally. "I'm two weeks late" she said, looking up at her with scared eyes.

Natasha was quiet for a moment, holding her gaze. She knew what that meant.

"Have you made a test yet?" she asked softly and Jane shook her head. "Do you have a test?" she asked and she shook her head again.

"Then let's get one. Drink something as long as I'm gone" she said with a smile and a wink as she got up from the bed again, making Jane smile the littlest of a smile.

"Could you get two?" she asked as Natasha was already on the door. "Just to be sure" she added and Natasha smiled again.

"Sure" she said and walked out of the bedroom. When she reached the elevator, she heard the bedroom door open again.

"Or five?" Jane called through the hallway with tears in her voice, seeing her stand in front of the open elevator. Natasha only gave her a thumps up, then disappeared in the elevator.

After around thirty minutes she was finally back, with a little plastic bag in her hand.

Natasha found Jane pacing around the whole apartment, and she just stopped her, gave her a little smile along with the bag, and gently pushed her towards the bathroom.

She sat down on the couch and waited patiently for her to finally come out again.

After a while Jane stepped into the living room with all five tests and laid them neatly down on the coffetable, placing her cell phone that stopped the time next to them, then she sat down next to Natasha.

"I can't be pregnant" she sobbed and leaned her head on Natasha's shoulder.

The spy tensed for a moment, but then she relaxed again and laid an arm around Jane, trying to comfort her.

She knew how she felt. When she made the test, it was torture. It was worse than all the times she got really tortured, this waiting. This waiting until you know if everything's going to stay the way it is or if your whole world will be changing. She was never expecting to be a mother, and she had that test kept in her bag, everywhere she went, just for an emergency, but she never thought SHE would be this emergency. She always thought she'd just have it around if someone of the few 'friends' she had at S.H.I.E.L.D. would think they're pregnant. Stupid idea, but still. She never expected herself to ever use that little thing. And then she saw the two little lines and she thought everything around her would collapse. Clint was gone, she didn't know if he was alive, she knew there was a war on its way, and now there was this little piece of plastic telling her she was pregnant. She was a spy, an assassin, a killer, not a mother. But well, here she was and keeping this baby was the best decision she'd ever made, except of trusting Clint when they first met.

"I-I know Thor for a bit more than a year, I can't be pregnant! He's a god, how can- I can't be pregnant!"

"Do you love him?" Natasha asked suddenly, looking at her.

"What?" Jane asked confused, too focused on her own thoughts.

Natasha repeated the question and Jane sat up again, whipping away a few tears. She thought about it a bit before she answered with a determinate "Yes".

"Yes, I love Thor. I love him more than anything, I can't imagine my life anymore without him" she told her, almost with no sobs anymore.

"See? I know he loves you, and I think he wouldn't have the slightest problem with you being pregnant. He wants to spend his life with you, Jane. Trust me. If someone like me and Clint can raise a child, then it shouldn't be a problem for you two to raise a little god" she said the last part with a wink, making Jane laugh a little. She then hugged Natasha tightly, mumbling "Thank you", until her phone beeped, telling her the five minutes were over.

Jane pulled away, and took a deep breath.

"Okay" she whispered to herself, then she opened her eyes again and looked down at all the tests on the table.

"Positive" she mumbled. "All positive" she leaned back against the couch with a sigh. She felt better after what Natasha told her, but still… a baby? She wanted to concentrate on her research, not on raising a child.

Usually, she was against abortion and adoption, but… that was the child of a god from a different planet! Who knew how that would develop compared to a normal… earthy child?

And even IF she would want to abort it, she wouldn't do that without telling Thor before, and he wouldn't be happy that she would kill their baby, for sure.

Now that she thought about it, she would never abort it, it would mean she killed a baby.

And her real fear for now wasn't to raise it. She knew she'd have so much help, she saw how much the team helps with Alex, also she loves children and she was good with Alex and she really always wanted kids. And she loved Thor, she knew she would spend her life with him, but still it was really early for a child.

Her fear wasn't even Thor's reaction, she knew he loved her, she knew how much he loved Alex, he would love the baby from the point on he knew it existed.

Her fear was to carry this child. She always feared to carry a normal child and give birth to it, what would happen with an Asgardian child? That was half human, half god?! Who knew how that would grow and affect her?

Sure, Thor looked like a normal, though really tall, human, but how-

"Jane" Natasha interrupted her thoughts, making her look up at her. "Stop thinking about that all. You still have enough time to think about it once Thor is back and you've told him" she said with a soft smile that Jane returned.

"Thank you, Natasha"

Natasha stayed for a while, but eventually she left her to her own thoughts and drove back up to her own apartment.

When she stepped out of the elevator, she was greeted by Alex' laughter, mixed with some of Clint's whines'.

Natasha moved around the couch, where she found Clint sitting on the floor, playing with Alex. He smiled at her all the time, but winced a little every time she accidently kicked him.

"What was it that Jane needed your help with?" Clint asked, not looking up at her.

"Something about her research. I got her some information from S.H.I.E.L.D." she responded nonchalantly.

"With or without S.H.I.E.L.D.'s knowledge?" he asked with a smirk and Natasha only shrugged with a smirk as well. She kneeled down next to him and greeted Alex, placing a kiss to her forehead.

"Mama!" she exclaimed happily, once she noticed her.

Natasha smiled extreme wide when she heard her little daughter say mama for the first time.

"We've been training this while you were gone" Clint said with a proud smirk, letting Alex pull herself up on the couch so she was standing.

Clint slowly stood up as well, groaning a little at his still sore rips.

"Uh… did you train this as well?" Natasha asked, staring at their daughter. Clint followed her gaze and stared as well.

"No, we didn't train this" he mumbled.

They just stared while their little girl started to walk with the help of the couch, a high concentrated look on her face. After a few steps though, she fell down again, and she looked up at her parents with a disappointed look on her face.

Natasha picked her up and her face lit up immediately.

"Oh boy, she's gonna run around the whole tower in no time" Clint muttered under his breath.

"You should have been expecting this, Barton" Natasha sighed and Clint threw his head back with a dramatic wince. Natasha shook her head at him and again Alex surprised them by imitating Natasha by shaking her head as well.

Natasha laughed, Clint just stared.

…

A few days later Thor finally found his way back down on earth, after greeting his friends he made his way straight to their apartment.

He searched Jane and called for her, until he finally found her in the bedroom. He smiled from ear to ear when he saw her and walked over to her with wide arms, embracing her lovingly.

"Hey" was all she said, she was too nervous to think of something else.

"I missed you, my love" Thor said. He then pulled away, his hands still on her shoulders, looking at her. He immediately noticed something was wrong, and he tried to see what.

"What is wrong, my dear?" he asked, looking down at her with concerned eyes.

Jane gulped and forced herself to look into his eyes.

"I need to talk to you" she whispered finally and he looked even more concerned.

"What is it we need to talk about?"

Jane sighed heavily and turned away from him and she started to pace through the room nervously.

"I…I don't know how to tell you" she said, looking up at him. She stepped closer again and stopped her pacing.

"I… I'm just going to say it, okay?"  
Thor nodded and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, before blurting it out.

"I'm pregnant"

She slowly opened her eyes again, looking up at him. He looked a little confused though.

"It means you are going to… be a father, Thor" she told him quietly. She felt her heart beat painfully against her rips, Thor didn't say a word, he looked down at her but seemed to be stuck in his thoughts. Jane felt like crying, she needed him to say something, to do anything, but not just stare down at her. She just wanted to say something, already with tears in her eyes, when Thor's face burst into the widest smile ever.

Jane sighed and smiled a little. He threw his arms around her, tightly but still carefully, and lifted her up, spinning her around once. He then sat her feet back down on the floor and grabbed her face, kissing her with all his love. When they pulled back, Jane giggled, just like she did the first time he kissed her hand.

"So you're okay with that?" she asked, still a little nervous.

"Okay?" he exclaimed. "I am more than okay with this, Jane" he chuckled, embracing her once more.

She sighed again and relaxed against him, leaning her head against his chest.

"It is an honor to have a child with you, Jane" he mumbled softly, stroking her hair. He pulled away after a minute, looking her in the eyes.

"I love you, Jane" he said sternly; he'd noticed her nervousness.

"I love you too, Thor" she said with a smile, and suddenly she was sure they would make it, that they wouldn't mess this kid up completely and that they would be good parents.

She stood on her toes then and pulled his face a little closer to her, so she could kiss him softly. He had his hands on her waist, and when they pulled away, he grinned down at her again.

"I cannot wait to tell our friends" he said, still grinning widely.

"I think we should wait. We should go to a doctor first, before we tell them. So we know it for sure" she told him softly, and as soon as the words left her mouth, Thor's grin was gone and he looked at her like a disappointed child.

"It would only be a few days, then you… can shout it out from the rooftop" she said with a laugh and Thor smirked a little.

"If this is what you want, my dear, then I will wait to share our joy with our friends" he said, running his hands over her shoulders. "But I cannot promise that they will not find out. I am not good at hiding my happiness" he added, again with a wide grin on his face. Jane chuckled softly and shook her head a little.

"Just try your best not to tell them, okay? Only a few days, then we know it for sure"

Thor nodded before once more claiming her lips in a soft kiss.

"I love you" he told her again, looking her deep in the eyes.

"I love you too"

…

The next three days were really hard for them, especially Thor. He was constantly smiling, and every time they asked him why he was so happy he had to come up with something.

For Jane, it was easy to hide. In the morning, just after the day she told Thor, her already existing morning sickness got so much worse. Natasha would give her a knowing look ever time she saw her, but wouldn't comment anything.

The morning sickness was a good excuse though. They just said she was getting ill or something and so no one wondered when they went to the doctor then.

The doctor confirmed the pregnancy and Jane finally allowed Thor to tell the team.

So they all sat at dinner together, all talking about random stuff, until Thor cleared his throat to get their attention.

"My friends" he started and Jane groaned quietly, resting her head in her hands. When Thor started this way, a long speech was to follow.

"My friends, we have wonderful news we'd like to share with you" Thor just continued, but he was cut off by Tony then.

"You're pregnant" he stated, leaning back in his chair and taking a sip of his drink, aware of everyone's eyes on him.

"How do you know?" Jane asked, lifting her head out of her hands.

As a response, Tony just tapped the side of his head with a smirk, and Jane had to laugh a little.

Slowly, the news settled in on everyone and they started to congratulate them.

"So here's soon a little thunder god running around here, as well as a little spy. That could be funny" Tony said after a while and everyone agreed with him.

IXXI

So, what do you think? A little thunder god AND a baby-spy. What could possibly go wrong?

I'd like to see what you think it will be, boy or girl? Name ideas?

Leave a review and tell me what you think;)


	6. Chapter 6

I'm sorry guys, really. I really wanted to upload this faster than the last one, but I … I had the idea of that chapter in my head, I just couldn't find the words. I sat hours in front of my laptop, staring at an empty word document, because I just didn't know how to write this down. In my head I'm already five/sixteen years ahead instead of thinking about what I'm currently writing.  
So please forgive and tell me if I disappoint you with this chapter.  
IXXI  
It was about two weeks after 'the great announcement', that they all hung around in the living room.  
Jane's morning sickness hadn't gotten any better, actually her morning sickness stretched about the whole day. But she didn't want to be isolated from everyone by lying in her bed, so she laid curled up on one of the couches with her head in Thor's lap. Everyone else sat in their usual way; Bruce and Steve in the two armchairs, Bruce reading a book and Steve drawing something, both shutting themselves out from the conversation around. Pepper and Tony sat on one couch, though Pepper was occupied with her tablet, some Stark Industries stuff Tony should be helping her with, but he was tapping around on his phone and talking to everyone, to Jarvis or just to himself.  
Clint was, why ever, lying with his legs over the back of the couch and his head hanging down, almost touching the floor. Natasha laid on her back, so she could see Jane while she talked to her, with her legs lying on Clint's chest.  
And Alex was entertaining herself on the carpet surrounded by the couches, playing and 'talking' with her toys.  
"Tasha?" Clint spoke up after a while, but he didn't dare to move. Natasha stared as well when she understood what he meant.  
Alex stood in the middle of the carpet, freely standing, with a little penguin in her hand. She looked around a little, before her eyes landed on her daddy's face that hung down the couch. She smiled and giggled as she started to walk to him, her arms stretched out in front of her.  
Clint and Natasha, and everybody else by now, stared at the little girl, no one dared to move in fear she would stop. But she didn't. When she stood in front of Clint, she held out the penguin for him. So he slowly sat up and took it from her, making her giggle even more.  
Everyone was smiling at the fact that she just walked for the first time without any help, but Clint really could do nothing but stare.  
His little baby girl just walked all on her own. Soon she was already one year old. She was growing so fast. But still, Clint couldn't help the smile that finally reached his face as well.

The next two weeks, Alex trained to walk and god, she was fast. Just like crawling, she was soon pretty good and pretty fast. For now, she didn't want to be up high all the time, she wanted to be on the floor and run around, making it a hard job for everyone to keep an eye on her, because she was just so damn fast.  
She'd often play some kind of hide and seek, though only she knew that she was playing. The adults just had to find her, what was really hard sometimes.  
But still it was great that she already walked.  
Everyone loved seeing her walk, because every time she laughed and giggled and that was just a beautiful sound to everybody.  
But now Natasha had to go to S.H.I.E.L.D.  
It was no mission, they just needed her there for today. Though she had to, it was pretty obvious that she didn't want to go there and leave Alex.  
Although Clint and everyone else were there, she just didn't want to go.  
But ...at some point Clint could convince her to go.  
She said goodbye to Alex for about thirty minutes, but eventually she was gone and Clint had to follow Alex through their apartment.  
When she finally got tired and he could lie her down for her nap, she looked up at him tiredly and mumbled 'Dada' again.  
But Clint couldn't hear that. Not really good at least. Alex had pulled out one of his hearing aids when he picked her up, because she was curious what that was, and so he had it lying on the table because he forgot to put it back in. But now he barely heard her sleepy whisper and he hated that.  
She was asleep already, and so he left, put the hearing aid back in, and started to tidy up a bit until she awoke again.  
When Alex was awake again, she wanted to run around already, so Clint sat her down and she took off running around the couch, around his legs, around the table, through the kitchen and again around his legs, then he picked her up and walked into the elevator, with her giggling in his arms. Once the doors closed, she squirmed in his arms till he let her down again, watching her with a smirk as she ran around his legs again.  
When the doors opened, Alex was the first one out. She looked around a bit, trying to figure out where she was, then took off running around again.  
"Watch out! Baby's running around here" Clint called with a chuckle and Bruce and Tony's heads snapped up from whatever they were doing.  
"What are you doing down here?" Bruce asked as he picked Alex up with a smile.  
"I wanted to ask you two something" Clint said, leaning against a table.  
"Yeah? And what?" Bruce asked, shifting Alex to his hip where she started to play with his glasses again.  
"I've wondered if you two could do anything about that" Clint said after a moment, motioning to his ear to show them he meant his hearing with 'that'.  
Tony and Bruce looked at each other for a moment, then Tony shrugged.  
"I guess we could" he started, thinking. "But why? I thought you like putting them off so you don't need to hear me" he continued with a stupid grin, making Bruce and Clint roll their eyes.  
"Yes, but I don't like missing what my daughter's saying" he said and Stark's grin softened and he nodded.  
"We'll come up with something" he said and Bruce let Alex down again, letting her run to her daddy again.  
"Thanks" Clint said, picking his daughter up and leaving again, letting the scientists work.  
They drove up to the living room, where he found Jane.  
Her morning sickness had finally gotten better, but Thor was in Asgard again for a few days, so she just had nothing to do. So she sat on a couch and read some book.  
She looked up though, when Alex came walking to her, loudly giggling. Jane smiled as well, standing and picking the girl up into her arms.  
Clint sat down on the couch with a sigh, running his hands over his face.  
"You look like you could need a break" she said with a soft smile and Clint nodded. "I can watch her, if you want. I'm bored out of my mind" she chuckled and so did he. "We could go to the park" she said, addressing Alex who clapped her hands together, making the others laugh again.  
"Sure, but don't expect her to stay in the stroller" Clint chuckled, getting up again and placing a kiss on his daughter's head. "Thank you" he said to Jane, who just waved it off.  
"I'll have to practice now" she laughed, placing a hand on her still flat belly. Clint laughed as well, but eventually he headed down to the gym to shoot a bit.  
Just as she wanted to step into the elevator, the doors to the stairs opened and Steve came out, smiling at them.  
"Oh, hey" he greeted. "You're babysitting?" he asked with a chuckle that Jane returned.  
"Yeah, Clint needed a break. We just wanted to go to the park. You want to keep us company?" she asked and he shrugged.  
"Sure, why not" he smiled and so they stepped into the elevator and drove down to Barton's apartment.  
Jane went to the nursery, to get Alex into a bit warmer clothes, while Steve got her stroller.  
Actually it was pretty warm for mid-October, but still she grabbed her jacket and a little blanket.  
She then walked back and sat Alex down in the stroller with her owl, but her smile immediately fell.  
"God, she really hates that thing, huh?" she said as they watched her hold up her hands to get out again.  
"Oh yes" Steve chuckled and then they made their way back into the elevator and out of the Tower.  
They walked towards central park, but after around ten minutes, Alex whimpered and started to cry, so Steve finally took her out of the stroller with a sigh. In an instant she'd calmed down again, making Jane and Steve laugh at her.  
She was fine lying in Steve's arms, but when they arrived at the playground, she wanted to walk on her own again. So he sat her down again and watched carefully as she started to run between their legs with happy laughter.  
After a little while she ran into a little boy that Steve recognized as Peter. A few meters away stood his mother, and they all expected them to cry, but instead the two kids sat in the grass and giggled.  
They decided to let them play a little, so Jane and Steve walked to Peter's mother and they talked a bit.  
Alex and Peter "talked" as well, playing with her owl and his stuffed monkey.  
No one was allowed to touch the other's beloved plush animals, though.  
"Already best friends" Jane chuckled and the other two laughed as well.  
After a while, Peter's mom, Mary, needed to go back home, so they all said goodbye. Though it was hard to get the kids away from each other. But somehow they managed it, and while Jane and Steve were walking around, Alex fell asleep on Steve's shoulder, so he finally could put her back in her stroller without a fight.  
They decided to go back to the tower then, and when they arrived at Barton's floor, Clint took his still sleeping daughter out of the stroller with a smile and laid her down in her crib.  
He thanked them for watching her, and after a bit of talking, they left again.

About two weeks later, Tony and Bruce had come up with something. They had made a few tests with Clint, and it all seemed to work. They planned on placing some technical device in his head, that would replace the hearing aids.  
Some Stark tech.  
"And you're sure it won't blow up, like some of your other things?" Clint asked skeptically as he examined the little piece Tony showed him.  
"Well, at least it shouldn't" he joked, but Clint still glared at him.  
"Stark, we're speaking of YOU planting some of YOUR tech in MY BRAIN."  
"There is nothing that could explode" he said with a roll of his eyes. Then he continued to tell every little thing they used to build that, and it really seemed to be not able to explode.  
"But we would need someone to do it, I mean... Theoretically I COULD do that... But... I don't think you would want me to poke your brain. So I thought about S.H.I.E.L.D. They have good doctors, they could do that. You just need to talk to Fury about it and everything would work" he finished and Clint sighed.  
He knew that he would have to talk to Fury about that, not Stark. But he still had to talk about that with Natasha. She didn't know about his plans.  
"What could go wrong?" He finally asked. They were talking about an operation on his brain, and he had a daughter, he didn't want to take any risk.  
"Nothing" Tony shrugged.  
"Bruce?" he sighed. Bruce was the doctor here, he should tell him what risks there were.  
Bruce heaved a sigh as well, but started to tell what COULD go wrong. It was a lot, but the possibility of anything of that happening was very slim. And they knew they were good and Clint trusted them and he trusted S.H.I.E.L.D.s docs, so he nodded and told them he'd talk to Fury the next day.  
And when he did that he'd tell Natasha, when it was all clear. Not earlier.

…

The next day he'd already told Fury. He had no problem with that, he was glad. Clint often had problems with the hearing aids, if this all would work out like it should, they should get less problems during missions.

So, telling Fury was way easier than telling Natasha. During the drive from base back to the Tower, Clint was thinking about a way to tell her that it all was going to happen.

When he stepped out of the elevator and into their apartment, he heard her pacing. A moment later he saw her walking through the living room with a half asleep Alex in her arms.

"Hey" he said quietly, approaching her and placing a quick kiss on her lips.

"So what did you talk with Fury about?" she asked as she walked towards the nursery. Clint followed her and placed a kiss on Alex' forehead as Natasha laid her down in her crib.

"Uhm… well…" he stammered as they walked out of the room again.

As soon as Natasha closed the door, she glared at him with her arms crossed.

"Speak, Barton."

"Okay, well, I've been talking to Bruce and Tony" he started, walking over to the couch. Natasha followed with a little groan and sat down beside him.

Clint wanted to continue, but he winced and pulled his right hearing aid out. It was beeping again, so he just threw it onto the coffetable and ran his hand through his hair with a sigh.

"I'm tired of this shit. I don't want to miss anything she says" he said, gesturing to the closed door of the nursery. "I asked them if they could come up with something" he continued with a sigh. "It's some kind of hearing aid they're going to put it in my head and… well, we need S.H.I.E.L.D.s docs for that, so that's why I was at H.Q. Fury's okay with that, we planned on doing that as soon as possible."

Natasha chewed the inside of her cheek in thought before slowly nodding her head. She understood him hundred percent, and she knew S.H.I.E.L.D.s doctors were the best.

"And it won't blow up?" she said after a moment, looking up at him with a little smirk.

"Stark AND Bruce assured me there is nothing that could blow up" he laughed.

"Then just hope it'll work" she mumbled, leaning her head against his shoulder.

…

Two days later they brought Clint into surgery and Natasha spent her time waiting in her quarter with Alex. When it finally knocked on the door, Bruce and Tony stepped into the room.

"So?" she asked, rocking Alex on her hip.

"Everything went fine, he should wake up soon" Bruce said with a soft smile and Natasha sighed.

"And it will work?" she asked, mostly Tony.

"It is my stuff, did it ever not work?" he asked, playing upset again. Natasha only raised an eyebrow and made her way out of the room and towards the infirmary with Alex.

After a little talk with Dr. Stevens, she sat down in the chair next to his bed, Alex sleeping in her arms.

It took a while until Clint woke up finally, Alex was already awake again then.

He slowly opened his eyes, searching for something familiar, until they finally landed on Natasha. He smiled when he saw her and Alex and he slowly reached his hand out to his little bird. She looked at him for a moment, then she giggled and clapped her hands together.

"Dada!" she exclaimed happily.

"It works" he muttered with a happy smile that Natasha returned.

"Nice hair" she chuckled, running her hand over his shaved head, making him groan a little.

IXXI

Okay.

I do not think anyone is still out there reading my shit. But if there is someone, someone that actually waited for that (I don't believe there is anyone), I'm sorry it took me so long. I just didn't know how to write this, and I really do not like this chapter at all, but it has to be there, and I hope I get the next chapter up earlier, and better. I haven't given up on this, I hope there are still some of you that haven't given up on me.

See ya (I hope)


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